Inst ToolsInst ToolsInst Tools
  • Courses
  • Automation
    • PLC
    • Control System
    • Safety System
    • Communication
    • Fire & Gas System
  • Instrumentation
    • Design
    • Pressure
    • Temperature
    • Flow
    • Level
    • Vibration
    • Analyzer
    • Control Valve
    • Switch
    • Calibration
    • Erection & Commissioning
  • Interview
    • Instrumentation
    • Electrical
    • Electronics
    • Practical
  • Q&A
    • Instrumentation
    • Control System
    • Electrical
    • Electronics
    • Analog Electronics
    • Digital Electronics
    • Power Electronics
    • Microprocessor
  • Request
Search
  • Books
  • Software
  • Projects
  • Process
  • Tools
  • Basics
  • Formula
  • Power Plant
  • Root Cause Analysis
  • Electrical Basics
  • Animation
  • Standards
  • 4-20 mA Course
  • Siemens PLC Course
Reading: What is insulation? How to Choose the Insulation Material?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Inst ToolsInst Tools
Font ResizerAa
  • Courses
  • Design
  • PLC
  • Interview
  • Control System
Search
  • Courses
  • Automation
    • PLC
    • Control System
    • Safety System
    • Communication
    • Fire & Gas System
  • Instrumentation
    • Design
    • Pressure
    • Temperature
    • Flow
    • Level
    • Vibration
    • Analyzer
    • Control Valve
    • Switch
    • Calibration
    • Erection & Commissioning
  • Interview
    • Instrumentation
    • Electrical
    • Electronics
    • Practical
  • Q&A
    • Instrumentation
    • Control System
    • Electrical
    • Electronics
    • Analog Electronics
    • Digital Electronics
    • Power Electronics
    • Microprocessor
  • Request
Follow US
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
Inst Tools > Blog > Electrical Basics > What is insulation? How to Choose the Insulation Material?

What is insulation? How to Choose the Insulation Material?

Insulation is a material used to restrict the transfer of heat and electricity from one area to another. Learn how to choose the materials.

Last updated: January 23, 2024 2:28 pm
Viral Nagda
Electrical Basics
No Comments
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

Whenever you use an electrical wire, you must have thought why you do not get an electrical shock on touching it, if it is live. This is because an insulator material is used to cover the conductor wire and does not expose it to the external environment.

Contents
What is insulation?How to Choose the Right Insulation?Approving bodyOperating VoltageAmbient temperatureDurabilityMaterials used for Wire InsulationPlasticRubberFluoropolymer

The insulation is thus used to protect the persons as well as the nearby environment from electric shocks and also protect the conductor from any external noise. So, it is necessary for an engineer who designs an electrical wire to understand the concept of insulation properly. In this post, we will see the outcome of wire Insulation.

What is insulation?

Electrical atoms have two properties – conduction and insulation. The ones that allow electricity to pass are called conductors and the ones that block electricity flow through it are called insulators. They don’t pass electrical current and if ever you want to pass current through it, then you will require a very high voltage to make it pass. This is called the breakdown voltage.

But, in normal scenarios, this voltage is rarely applied deliberately. So practically, insulators are electrical objects that do not allow electricity to pass through them. In electrical terms, it is also called a dielectric. If the insulation is strong, then the wire too will last long, as it will be less prone to external contacts and environment.

Also, electrical insulation is so strong that they do not allow even leakage current to pass, which thus helps in accidentally getting in contact with nearby wires.

What is insulation

How to Choose the Right Insulation?

Well, this question is the most asked one by engineers. Because, the whole thing is surrounded by this answer and if we don’t choose the right one, then the wire may get damaged and even nearby personnel will face danger.

Take a look at the below points for considering selection criteria.

Approving body

There are many approvals in the world standards set for choosing the right insulation, like UL (Underwriter Laboratories), CSA (Canadian Standards Association), CE (Conformite Europeenne), SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) and ISO (International Organization for Standardization).

As you can see by names, these are standards set by different countries or continents as per their work for approving a product and saying that it is safe to use. An insulator with any of these marks is safe to use.

Operating Voltage

As discussed earlier, a breakdown voltage can cause an insulator to conduct. So, the operating voltage of a wire using an insulator must always be less than this voltage.

Ambient temperature

The temperature has an adverse effect on any product. Even in the case of insulators, excess high temperature can affect its quality and working. This is because as per electrical standards, as temperature increases, the resistance decreases. And as insulators are all about resistance, drop in it is of no use.

Durability

Durability defines how the insulation will perform in any rugged condition or environment. Then be it chemical corrosion, environment corrosion, moisture, fire, or high temperatures, the insulator with the highest durability must be chosen for the wires.

Materials used for Wire Insulation

Now that we have seen what is insulation and what is the selection criteria for the same, let us have a look at the materials used for insulation making.

Plastic

It is the most widely used material in wire Insulation. This is because it has the highest durability and resistance to the external environment. They increase energy efficiency and contribute a lot to the environment. Also, they have a long lifeline and can be recycled easily.

Some of the common types of plastic insulation are

  • polyvinyl chloride (PVC),
  • Semi-rigid PVC,
  • Plenum PVC,
  • Polyethylene,
  • Polypropylene, and
  • Nylon.

Rubber

Plastics tend to lose their performance at lower temperatures. They tend to lose their durability. For this reason, particularly for this environment, rubber material is used.

Some of the general types of rubber insulation materials are

  • Thermoplastic,
  • Silicone,
  • Ethylene propylene,
  • Polychloroprene, and
  • Fiberglass.

Fluoropolymer

When it comes to chemicals and another acidic environment, this material is the best used as it offers the highest possible durability.

Some of the most widely used materials in this type are

  • polytetrafluoroethylene,
  • ethylene tetrafluoroethylene,
  • polyvinylidene fluoride,
  • perfluoro alkoxy, and
  • fluorinated ethylene propylene.

As the name implies, all these materials are related to chemicals.

If you found this article informative and engaging, we encourage you to consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel, where you can access video tutorials covering topics such as Instrumentation, Electrical, PLC, and SCADA.

For daily updates and to stay connected with our latest content, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

To further expand your knowledge, we recommend checking out our next insightful articles.

Read Next:

  • Single Core and Multi-Core Cables
  • Difference Between HV and LV Cables
  • Types of Cables in Industrial Automation
  • Instrumentation Cables Testing Steps
  • Flame Resistant and Retardant Cables
Don't Miss Our Updates
Be the first to get exclusive content straight to your email.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
You've successfully subscribed !

Continue Reading

What is an Inductor? – Types of Inductors
What is a Current Transformer?
Motor Control Timer Circuit – Automatic Motor START and STOP
Difference Between Trunking and Conduit
Various Control Methods in Servo Motor Drives
Difference Between AIS and GIS Panels
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Copy Link
Share
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected

128.3kFollowersLike
69.1kFollowersFollow
210kSubscribersSubscribe
38kFollowersFollow

Categories

Explore More

Basic Electrical Engineering Questions & Answers
What is a Damper? Types of Dampers in HVAC
Difference Between Open Circuit and Close Circuit
How to Check the Continuity of Protective Conductors?
Top Electrical Engineering Questions & Answers
Basic Principles of Electricity
Difference Between MCB and MCCB
Technical Specification for Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) System

Keep Learning

Allen-Bradley VFD

Why V/f Ratio is kept Constant in VFD?

Advantages of Star and Delta Systems

Advantages of Star and Delta Systems

Difference between Single-phase and three-phase power supply

Difference between Single-phase and Three-phase Power

Difference Between Regenerative and Dynamic Braking

Difference Between Regenerative and Dynamic Braking

Electrical Drives Animation

Electrical Drives – Modes, Types, Speed Control Applications

Clamp Meter

Things to Know When Measuring Current

DTS sensors

Distributed Temperature Sensors (DTS) in Power Lines

Electrical Cabinet Air Conditioner

Electrical Cabinet Air Conditioner – Enclosure Cooling, Maintenance

Learn More

Control Systems Questions & Answers

Control Systems Objective Questions & Answers – Set 7

Power System Protection Quiz

Electrical Power System Protection Quiz

Instrument Panel Exhaust Fan Efficiency Improved

Instrument Panel Cooling Efficiency Enhancement

Motion Detection based Street Light PLC Logic Solution

Motion Detection based Street Light: PLC Logic Solution

Allen Bradley PLC Interview Questions & Answers

Allen Bradley PLC Interview Questions and Answers

pressure transmitter calibration setup

Why Pressure Vessel Connected to Tubing System?

PLC program for bread oven

Bread Oven Control in Auto and Manual Modes PLC Program

Ultrasonic-Level-Transmitter-Animation

Ultrasonic Level Transmitter Animation

Menu

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Quick Links

  • Learn PLC
  • Helping Hand
  • Part Time Job

YouTube Subscribe

Follow US
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?